


Cybertronian mythology - Why the people of Cybertron live longer than any other

by Ka_she_who_lurks



Category: The Transformers (IDW Generation One), Transformers - All Media Types
Genre: Cybertronian mythology, Gen, More Dakka, Mortilus has the "I'll just keep walking" approach to travel, Shapeshifting, There's a reason he looks like an orc, unless he takes the approach of "Imma punch it" or
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-04-18
Updated: 2018-04-18
Packaged: 2019-04-24 15:24:05
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,037
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14358273
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ka_she_who_lurks/pseuds/Ka_she_who_lurks
Summary: Mortilus and Adaptus are in a race to decide the fate of Primus' creations.(written before the IDW reveal)





	Cybertronian mythology - Why the people of Cybertron live longer than any other

And in those days, it came to be that Unicron approached Primus, and spoke; "It occurs to me that most beings in within all existence perish within the time fate has allotted them, whether they have been struck with grievous harm or no. Should this not also be so for your children?"  
For Unicron was hateful, and his thoughts had turned to how much it would wound Primus to have his children perish so.

But Primus denied this, speaking; "No, for I have built my children to last, and should there be nothing that brings them harm, they will live long lives, near without end."

"Ah, but long lives bring much grief. Have you not seen the wisdom of our sister?"*

And Primus was brought in doubt, but he would not waver, and so it was decided that the mortality of Primus' children would be decided by a message, and whose message arrived to the people of Cybertron first would decide the fate of Primus' children.

And so Unicron chose among Primus' children the strongest, and this was Mortilus, and Primus chose among his children not the wisest, nor the most knowledgeable, and neither did he choose Mortilus, because to do so would destroy one of his own children in a conflicting task. Instead of any of these described, he chose Adaptus, the playful one.

And so Unicron scoffed and sneered and was assured that his victory would be certain, and Primus hid his smile.

And so Mortilus, with the message of death, and Adaptus, with the message of life***, set out towards the peoples of Cybertron.

They came upon a harsh and jagged landscape of stone, where none may walk. Spires like the teeth of a predacon jutted upwards, gaps and ravines, deep as the pit, lurked under brittle minerals.  
With strength and might, Mortilus burst through every rock in his way, and continued onwards after every fall, for he was too strong to be damaged by such.  
Adaptus was the form of a seeker and flew over the stone.

They came upon a set of demon-haunted tunnels, narrow and poor in energy****.  
Mortilus filled up his tanks, and went through the tunnels as he had gone through the stone.  
Adaptus was the form of a minibot, and was unhindered, and used so little energy that at the end, his tanks were still half-filled. 

They came upon uneven ground, full of rubble and muck upon a brittle surface over a vast depth filled with fluids of incredible pressure, and Mortilus allowed himself to fall through and sink to where even his weight would be borne, for Mortilus was strong enough to withstand the pressure. And Mortilus traversed the place with his great strength, and Adaptus was every form with wheels and threads and legs that could handle such, and rode across. 

They came upon the mountains, and Mortilus destroyed all that was in his way, while Adaptus was the form of a helicopter, and flew over. 

They came to Gaia's blue-green places and all the beasts therein, and Mortilus burst through with great strength, leaving destruction in his wake. But Gaia is a femme, and so she left him scarred in warning not to offend her so.  
Adaptus took heed, and, when going into Gaia's blue-green places, was the form of all the beasts therein, and so traversed her places with cleverness and endurance.

They came upon the reaches of space, great and harsh and empty.  
And Mortilus used his great strength to jump and shoot his way to Cybertron, and Adaptus was the shape of a spaceship.

They came upon the Sea of Rust, and Mortilus went through the depths, and Adaptus was the form of a boat.

Then they came upon a plain, smooth and vast, where the only trouble***** were the winds in the sky, and the ground was an easy road.  
Mortilus, who knew his brother to be of greater speed and whose mind was filled with Unicron's urgings, turned upon Adaptus with violence in his spark.

But Adaptus spoke, and said: "Am I not your brother?"

And Mortilus overcame Unicron, and said: "This is true."

So touched was Adaptus by this, that he offered to walk beside his brother, but Mortilus frowned, and said: "Do not insult me by giving this challenge anything less than your best, brother."

And so Adaptus was the form of a racecar, and reached that place where Primus' children dwelt.  
And he wondered who to speak to first, and the answer was that he should speak to all of Primus' children, and so Adaptus was the form of a communications hub******, and broadcast his message.

And this is why those of Cybertron live longer than any other.

 

*There are few writings that mention a third member of the Primus-Unicron duality. It is speculated this has something to do with the entity or landscape "Gaia"** that is mentioned in some of these selfsame writings, but mostly it is assumed to be allegorical, or a sort of metaphor to indicate the vast differences between Primus, the creator and light bringer, and Unicron, the destroyer and chaos bringer. It is also quite possible that "Gaia" indicates a sort of neutral ground between the two entities, where contact between them does not result in termination of one or the other.

** Different translations mention different names, which, frankly, linguistic-wise, make little sense. Beyond Gaea, which can simply be taken as an alternative spelling, the entity or place has been called Terra, Durga, Bhumi, and Dewi Sri. It is unknown what past languages or philosophical teachings have resulted in such names.

***Change, life, transformation and adaption have similar, overlapping meanings. In the older writings, translating which meaning was meant with the used glyph is near-impossible. 

**** Energy and the more specific word of Energon, share the same glyph in the older writings.

***** Due to the original glyph also being read as turbulence or hinder, this works, once again, on multiple levels that are lost somewhat in translation. 

******Communications hub, carrier-bot, holder-of-knowledge, and several other words, are depicted by the same glyph, which - further complicating matters - has much in common with the name of Logos Prime, and any and all references to Logos Prime.


End file.
